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{
    "id": 603434,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/603434/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 65,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) F.M. Mutua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 539,
        "legal_name": "Florence Mwikali Mutua",
        "slug": "florence-mwikali-mutua"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving me this chance to support this very important Bill. I want to congratulate Hon. Nyokabi for taking the initiative by ensuring that the Bill is tabled. Let me start by saying that access to information is increasingly taking a legislative reform. I want to congratulate Hon. Nyokabi on this. Two hon. Members have talked about issues that we have, especially in the counties in accessing things like strategic plans of the counties. We have problems accessing budgets of the counties. So, it is very important that we have access to information on most of those things that are happening in the counties. Yesterday we talked about the tax and how we need to pay it. We have revenue that is collected in the counties. Most of the Members do not even know how that revenue is used. So, we need to have access to information on how the revenue that is collected in the counties is utilized. That is because we never know how it is utilised. We also have issues when it comes to roads. Most of the constituents are asking: “Who is supposed to do which road in the county?” The Member of Parliament says it is the county, the county says it is the Member of Parliament. The Member of Parliament says it is the Member of the County Assembly and, sometimes, we are told it is the National Government. So, we never know who is supposed to do the roads which are in pathetic states. We also need to have access to information so that we can easily tell the constituents and also hold to account the people who are supposed to do those roads. Now, we just have blame games in the counties between individuals. When we have access to information, we will have greater public participation in public affairs. We will also be able to expose corruption because access to information will lead to better management of resources. A good example is when we got the Auditor-General’s Report. The Auditor was attacked seriously because he exposed the corruption that was going on in this country. This is the type of access to information we are talking about. Access to information will also lead to increased transparency and accountability on how resources are being utilised in the counties and at the national level. Access to information will also empower citizens with the right to participate in decision making processes. Nowadays, when we are doing public participations even at the national level, you find that the information is only privy to a few. The people who are calling for public participation just invite a few people who will come and give a positive outcome of the public participation. We need to have access so that we give information to the constituents so that they can all come and participate in the right manner and get the right information from the conveners of the meeting. Nowadays, it is like a secret. When the county is calling for public participation, it releases the information the last minute and only gives it to a few people. So, you find that the hall is empty and it is only a few people who can participate in those issues. A good example is last year when Hon. Nyokabi brought the issue of the sanitary pads. Sanitary pads are always budgeted in the national Government budget. Kshs400 million is always there. We never know where this money goes every year. We have asked the counties if the schools get those sanitary pads. We do not see or even know which school gets those pads, if at all they are bought. So, when we have access to information, we will be able to understand where the Kshs400 million goes annually because our girls do not have the sanitary pads in their schools. We also know that there is a bad side to have access to information. Hon. Odinga fought for freedom of expression among others, but now the information is being misused. When you go to Facebook, you find people are misusing it. Instead of using it in the right manner to bring people together, they are using it to abuse leaders, each other or cause a lot of animosity The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}